HLS 24RS-582 REENGROSSED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 583
BY REPRESENTATIVES AMEDEE, BAYHAM, BUTLER, CHASSION, DOMANGUE,
HORTON, KNOX, LACOMBE, LAFLEUR, MYERS, ORGERON, RISER,
TAYLOR, AND ZERINGUE
SCHOOLS/CHOICE: Provides for school choice with respect to foreign language
immersion
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(a)(introductory paragraph), (ii), and (v), (b), (d),
3 and (e) and 3983(A)(2)(a)(i) and to enact R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(g) and (h) and
4 3983(A)(2)(a)(iv), relative to foreign language immersion programs; to provide
5 relative to the procedure for parents to make requests to establish a new program; to
6 provide relative to the procedure for parents to apply to establish a new charter
7 school; to authorize an initial proposal for a charter school to be made to the State
8 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as a Type 2 charter school proposal;
9 to provide for effectiveness; and to provide for related matters.
10Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(a)(introductory paragraph), (ii), and (v), (b), (d), and
12(e) and 3983(A)(2)(a)(i) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(g) and
13(h) and 3983(A)(2)(a)(iv) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
14 §273.3. Foreign language immersion programs; creation by local school boards;
15 parent petition
16 * * *
17 C.
18 * * *
19 (2)(a) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a A local school board, if
20 requested in writing by the parents or legal guardians of at least twenty-five students
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1 seeking to be enrolled in kindergarten or of at least twenty-five students seeking to
2 be enrolled in first grade who reside within the jurisdictional boundaries of the
3 school district, shall establish a foreign language immersion program for such
4 students, provided that all of the following apply:
5 * * *
6 (ii) The requisite number of written requests are submitted to the local school
7 board not later than January thirty-first September thirtieth prior to the school year
8 in which the program is to be established.
9 * * *
10 (v) There is no existing foreign language immersion program offered by the
11 local school board, in the same foreign language being proposed, that has been
12 certified by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to R.S.
13 17:273.2. R.S. 17:273.2, or the parents requesting the program submit in writing that
14 the existing foreign language immersion program is geographically inaccessible.
15 (b) Such program shall be continued as long as at least twenty students
16 remain enrolled in the program. If a program is discontinued in violation of this
17 Subparagraph, the school board shall reimburse to the state Department of Education
18 any funds that were provided to provide salary supplements to foreign language
19 teachers through the minimum foundation program.
20 * * *
21 (d) The local school board shall review the written requests submitted
22 pursuant to this Paragraph and shall notify the parents or legal guardians not later
23 than February fifteenth October thirty-first, or fifteen days after receipt of the
24 requests, whichever is sooner, of its determination as to whether or not the required
25 number of requests was submitted. Parents who submit requests may appeal such
26 determination to the department within fifteen days of being denied. The department
27 shall make a determination on the appeal within fifteen days of its receipt of the
28 appeal request.
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1 (e) The local school board shall inform the parents and legal custodians
2 guardians of all students enrolled in the school system system, in writing via mail
3 and electronic mail, about the existence of any newly established foreign language
4 immersion program within fifteen days of the determination that at least twenty-five
5 requests were received pursuant to Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph and shall
6 permit all eligible students to apply for the program during the designated enrollment
7 period for the school year.
8 * * *
9 (g) If a school board does not fulfill the requirements of this Subsection,
10 parents who submitted requests to the board may appeal to the department. The
11 department shall make a determination on the appeal within fifteen days. If the
12 department finds the school board is in violation of the requirements of this
13 Subsection, the parents may pursue one of the following:
14 (i) Incorporate a nonprofit organization and request approval as a Type 1
15 charter school as provided in R.S. 17:3983(A)(2)(a)(i) or a Type 2 charter school as
16 provided in R.S. 17:3983(A)(2)(a)(iv).
17 (ii) Request that a charter school with an immersion program open a campus
18 in an area that can serve their children.
19 (h) The school board shall request international teachers through the
20 programs administered by the department and the Council for the Development of
21 French in Louisiana by January fifteenth prior to the school year in which the
22 program is to be established.
23 * * *
24 §3983. Chartering process by type; eligibility; limitations; faculty approval; parental
25 approval
26 A.
27 * * *
28 (2)(a)(i) Each proposal for a Type 1 or Type 3 charter school shall first be
29 made to the local school board with jurisdiction where the school is to be located,
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1 except as provided for in Item (ii) or (iii) (ii), (iii), or (iv) of this Subparagraph, by
2 submitting a written proposal. If, after review as required by R.S. 17:3982, the local
3 school board denies the proposal, or if conditions placed on the proposal by the local
4 school board, as provided in Paragraph (B)(2) of this Section, are not acceptable to
5 the chartering group, then a proposal for a Type 2 charter school may be made to the
6 state board.
7 * * *
8 (iv) The initial proposal for a charter school made by parents under the
9 conditions provided in R.S. 17:273(C)(2)(g) may be made to the state board as a
10 proposal for a Type 2 charter school.
11 * * *
12 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
13signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
14by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
15vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
16effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 583 Reengrossed 2024 Regular Session Amedee
Abstract: Provides for a parental petition process for the creation of foreign language
immersion programs for students in grades prekindergarten through 12.
Present law authorizes local public school boards to establish foreign language immersion
programs. Requires a school board to establish such a program if requested in writing by
the parents of at least 25 students seeking enrollment in kindergarten or at least 25 students
seeking enrollment in first grade if certain criteria are met.
Proposed law requires local school boards to request international teachers by January 15
prior to the school year in which a program is to be established.
Present law provides a deadline of January 31 prior to the school year in which a program
is to be established for parents to submit requests for such program. Proposed law moves
deadline to September 30 prior to the school year in which a program is to be established.
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Present law provides for a deadline of February 15 for school boards to notify parents
relative to the number of requests submitted. Proposed law moves deadline to October 31
or 15 days after the receipt of the requests, whichever is sooner.
Proposed law authorizes parents who submit requests to local school boards to make appeals
to the state Dept. of Education (DOE) within 15 days of the school board's denial. Grants
15 days for DOE to make a determination on the parents' appeal.
Present law requires that such program be continued as long as at least 20 students remain
enrolled in the program.
Proposed law requires that if the program ceases despite having 20 students enrolled, the
school board shall remit minimum foundation program foreign language teacher salary
supplement funds to the state Dept. of Education.
Proposed law authorizes parents, if school boards do not fulfill the requirements of present
law to establish a program, through any of the following:
(1)Request approval as a Type 1 charter school.
(2)Request approval as a Type 2 charter school from the State Bd. of Elementary and
Secondary Education (BESE).
(3)Request that a charter school with an immersion program open a new campus in an
area that can serve their children.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(a)(intro. para) and (ii) and (v), (b), (d), and (e) and
3983(A)(2)(a)(i); Adds R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(g) and (h) and 3983(A)(2)(a)(iv))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the
original bill:
1. Remove name change of the International School in Lafayette to L'Académie de
la Louisiane.
2. Remove narrowing scope of school from a world language immersion school to
only French language.
3. Remove provision of governance of the school by a 16-member board of
directors.
4. Remove expansion of École Pointe-au-Chien from a school for students in grades
pre-K through 4 to also include grade 5.
5. Remove authorization for École Pointe-au-Chien campus locations outside of
Terrebonne Parish.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Authorize a direct application to BESE for a Type 2 charter school if a school
board has failed to comply with present law regarding immersion programs.
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2. Move deadline for parents to submit requests for an immersion program from
January 31 to September 30 prior to the school year in which the program is to
be established.
3. Move deadline for school boards to notify parents as to whether or not the
required number of written requests was submitted to establish a program from
February 15 or 15 days after receipt of the requests, whichever is sooner, to
October 31 or 15 days after receipt of the requests, whichever is sooner.
4. Add a deadline for appeals of school board decisions regarding creation of
immersion programs.
5. Require that local school boards request international teachers for a program by
January 15 prior to the school year in which the program is to be established.
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